Chapter 2: Supporting The Next Generation of Urban Science and Mathematics Teachers: Using Reflections to Guide Beginning Teachers’ Leadership and Classroom Practices

Learning to teach in urban classrooms in the 21st century presents unique challenges, especially for those who are career-change science and mathematics novice teachers. The array of challenges spans from their own beliefs about teaching and learning to context-based concerns where they often have limited experiences working in urban settings and may lack in depth knowledge of science and mathematics content. Couple these challenges with the ever pressing concerns of recruiting and retaining high quality STEM teachers willing to work in urban settings, and the task before teacher preparation programs is exacerbated. In this chapter, we encourage novice science and mathematics teachers to use the art of “critical reflection” to support learning how to reflect on their classroom practices to not only think more deeply about their decisions, but to make changes both inwardly and outwardly to become effective, successful teachers in urban schools. One definition of critical reflection which is relevant to the focus of this chapter is, “Critical inquiry involves the conscious consideration of the moral and ethical implications and consequences of classroom practices on students” (Larrivee, 2000, p. 294). The changes teachers experience occur in their beliefs (inwardly) and their practices (outwardly) and have moral and ethical implications. It is of paramount importance to explicate teachers’ beliefs as it relates to their instructional practices, if they are to be equipped to become effective educators of students in urban communities.